After Tartaros
by Savage1390
Summary: Lucy and the rest of the guild are left with scars after their battle, but how will she overcome them and help everyone when she feels the pain of being abandoned by her team? What will Natsu find after he spends his year training? Canon divergence before Alverez war. Multi/pairing
1. Chapter 1

p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"AN: After Tartaros the guild does not disband. Anchologia was defeated by Igneel but the dragons still perish and Zeref is still a mystery. There is no END in this divergence of /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"storyline./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"-/spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"-/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 27pt; margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"It had been a month since the war with Tartaros and the Nine Demon Gates were defeated. Almost all of her family was safe now, and despite the guildhall being rebuilt for the millionth time Lucy couldn't bring herself to be truly relieved or happy. Natsu and Happy had left her behind with only a note, and Gray and Erza were nowhere to be found. The family she had found and built upon over the years was going their separate ways now, and there was nothing she could do to keep them together. While she still had Fairy Tail she knew that her team was already gone with the exception of Wendy and Carla. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"The city was in shambles and some people were still recovering from injuries or grieving those that were lost. Thankfully no guild members were killed, but it had been way to close for comfort for all of them./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Most of the guild has banded together now, but she had a hard time fielding questions for her missing teammates. In addition to her team leaving Lucy was surprised at how many of her friends planned to leave Magnolia and the guild behind. /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Thankfully Wendy and Carla /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"were just visiting Lamia Scale and her friend Cheria after she worked herself to exhaustion healing the wounded. Elfman was still feeling extremely guilty and talked about going off to train, but he also seems hesitant to leave his sisters. Juvia hasn't shown back up, but with Gray gone nobody seemed surprised by that. The most surprising to Lucy was when she found out that Levy had taken a job with the Magic Council. Her best girl friend just disappeared without an explanation and part of her /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"wanted to blame Gajeel for it. Except that he seemed just as surprised and hurt as she was. Other mages she didn't know left as well and she felt each one that left the rest of them to pick up the pieces like a jab straight to her heart./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"So many things were changing now. She understood the need for a life change though and couldn't really blame anyone for leaving. She knew that everyone had suffered greatly in the war against the demons and especially the slayers as they finally found and lost their respective dragons. Seeing all of the pain that still lingered though broke the celestial ages heart. Lucy forcefully pushed aside her own pain and she resolved to do everything in her power to help her nakama regain their happiness. No one knew about Aquarius or the battle she fought alone to dispel Algeria and save them all, and she resolved to keep it that way for now. They didn't need to blame themselves and her pain wasn't any more important than anyone /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"else's./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Things seemed to be slowly returning back to normal now that the Guild was almost finished. The biggest exception being how much quieter it seemed now. Lucy was working hard to become stronger and had started learning how to summon the other zodiacs' star-dress. None of them came to her as easily as Aquarius's did, and it broke her heart a little every time. She tried not to dwell in the /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"loneliness she felt at night, she/spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" knew her family would all eventually come back together. She still believed in all of them, but she could feel herself waiver with the time passing./span/p


	2. Chapter 2

p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"AN- Obviously I own nothing. Also any reviews are appreciated as this is my first story and so far has made me hesitant to continue. I don't take things too personal but if you don't want to read this story then i don't really see much of a point in being rude. Anyway hopefully someone can find solace in this imaginary world the way I do and escape lifes troubles for even just a moment! Thank you to those who are giving this a chance./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Lucy and Wendy entered the guild together with Carla late one night after their finished their first mission since rebuilding and Wendy's short trip. Wendy and Carla were staying with her until Fairy Hills was finished and once again liveable. The three females had been growing closer after the others had left and Lucy found herself loving the time she spent with the littlest slayer. She worried about the time when the girls dorms would be finished and she would be alone again. The two girls sat at the bar to get Mira's attention./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Welcome back! How was you mission?" Mira asked as she moved behind the bar./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""We got a bonus Mira! The mayor said we finished way faster than they thought was even possible!" Wendy gushed and both the older women melted at her proud smile./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""I'm so happy to hear that!" Mira smiled and set a pink cocktail in front of Lucy with a wink./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Yes, however it is rather late and we should retire." Carla stated from atop the bar as she eyed the now /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"pouting girl. "Don't give me that look Wendy. A good nights rest is essential to a growing girl." Before Wendy could try to argue Carla had grabbed the collar of her dress and began to fly her to the doorway. Mira and Lucy called out their Good nights to the tiny slayer between their muffled giggles at the stern exceeds way of dealing with her./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""How has everyone been Mira?" Lucy asked as she took a sip of the drink she was given./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Good for the most part." Mira frowned slightly and leaned forward to whisper. "I think Levy leaving is bothering Gajeel though. He seems even less friendly than usual."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Hmm. I think I'll go say hello. I haven't spoken to him since she left." Lucy stood with her drink and threw a wink at her fellow conspirator. Lucy and Mira had developed an unspoken agreement to work together to take care of their nakama. Mira made sure everyone was fed and kept an eye out for anyone who was hurting, then she sent Lucy in to comfort their friends and make them feel better./span/p 


	3. Chapter 3

p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Gajeel sat in his dark corner of the guild throwing back drinks and silently thinking over Levy taking a job with the Magic Counsel and moving to Crocus. Most of the others had already gone home for the night and he was stewing in the quiet atmosphere. There had been a mutual interest and the two had become very close in a platonic way, but then Levy decided to just up and leave. Knowing that she wasn't his mate should have told him t/spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"o not get too close to the little fairy/spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;", but he thought that maybe he could ignore the mating thing and just act like a normal guy for once. It wasn't like he knew who his mate was yet anyway. Of course that wasn't the case and now he could practically hear Metallicana laughing at his expense. He was so lost in thought he was surprised when he realized that someone had came and sat at his table. Before he could tell the person to 'fuck off', he got the lovely scent of stardust and vanilla. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Mind if I join you for a minute?" Lucy sat beside him with some fruity drink and a warm smile. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Bunny girl? What are you doing here so late?" Gajeel couldn't keep the confusion from his face or voice. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Just finished a job and I needed to check in." She smiled at him and absently her hand trailed down to her hip where she wore her keys. He took a moment to look over the former heiress. She was wearing knee high combat boots that matched the brown belt holding her whip and keys. Denim shorts and a short black shirt covered her assets but left a tantalizing amount of skin in his view. He swallowed a large gulp of his ale to hide the growl that threatened to rumble out of him. Once again he had to remind himself that this girl was off limits to him and his dragon needed to get the message./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Where's Pinky?" He frowned when she tensed at his question./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""He left." She whispered quietly. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to hear that, but she shook her head before smiling up at him again. "Anyway, how are you, and have you heard from Levy by any chance?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"He scowled at his drink at the reminder of the little blue sprite, but before he could snap back at her Lucy had rested a hand on his arm. His inner dragon purred at the gesture and he felt a wave of calming /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"warmth that left him/spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" confused./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Sorry, I didn't mean to be nosy. I'm just excited because I was able to get my hands on a new key." She smiled in a way that had him deciding not to bite her head off./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""This new one as weird looking as the others?" He huffed out to keep her talking and distracting him from his confusing thoughts. She scowled at the insult to her spirits and he chuckled in response. She was one of the least intimidating people he'd ever met./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Maybe you should watch who you call weird Metal-face?" She asked as she turned to face him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Watch it Cheerleader." He let his sharp fangs come out as he smirked at her. Usually this move intimidated people, but it never seemed to work on her and it always intrigued him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Why, what are you gonna do Lug-nuts?" The mischievous glint in her eye felt like a challenge, and he'd never seen this side of the celestial mage before. His dragon seemed to like it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Lug-nuts? Keep talking like that and I'll think you're interested in my package." He chuckled and leaned into her personal space waiting for the blush he was sure would come./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""I suppose you could say that." Her words and the casual way she spoke them took him off guard. She looked so innocently curious as she tapped her chin with one hand. Before his face could warm or he could sputter out even a syllable in response she was leaning in closer. "How many piercings do you have below the belt?" She asked curiously. The way her scent surrounded him had his thoughts muddled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Ten... Wait how the hell ya know that?" His answer came immediately, even as his brain was struggling to keep up with the turn of the conversation. He could feel his face warming as she let out a soft giggle. He subtly adjusted his rapidly hardening length under the table to better hide his arousal and bit back a groan when he realized he could smell hers too. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""With you it's not a matter of "IF" it's a matter of how many Gajeel. Plus that means Cana owes me 10,000 jewel." Then before he could question who all was making bets about his dick a loud voice /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"interrupted them./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Lucy. Can you join me in my office? I need to speak to you." /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Master Makarov called to her from the second floor and Lucy stood to join him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""See you around Gajeel." She gave him one last large warm smile before she was moving toward the stairs. His eyes followed the sway of her hips without his permission and his inner dragon was growling about running after her and not letting her leave his bed for the foreseeable future. He shook his head and signaled Mira for another drink while he contemplated this new development, purposefully ignoring the /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"calculating look in the demon woman's eye./spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" His dragon had never reacted to a woman before like that, and he had purposefully avoided the sexy little bunny girl because he thought the fucking Pyro was mating her. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Now that he thought about it more though and felt his dragons strong pull to follow the beautiful blond he realized he'd always ignored his instincts when it came to her. He wasn't sure if it was out of guilt for what he'd done to her when he was a Phantom, but now that he really thought about it she had always been a fascination. The girl was attractive obviously, but she was also so kind and innocent despite all the fucked up shit that had happened to her. Even when he had first met her she showed no fear of him either. She was strong and smart and he could understand why his dragon wanted a woman like her. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; line-height: 114%;"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Gajeel had never felt the pull to mate before, but there was no doubt that was what he was feeling now. From the way that Ash-face had been scenting Lucy for years and the possessive way he had treated her, it clearly showed the actions of a potential mate though, which was confusing. Natsu had a dragon and should have known that going so far as to scent a female would be idiotic if she wasn't truly his mate, but she had said he left. When he thought about it he really /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"hadn't seen any of the others from her team around in a while. He had just assumed that they were on a mission but now he wondered what had happened. /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 114%; font-size: 14.0000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"If they had been mated then Natsu would never leave her, in fact he couldn't. Mating was forever. He decided he needed to talk to Master Makarov later and see if he could clear this shit up. Then maybe he could see about catching himself a little Bunny./span/p 


End file.
